Playing God
by FRANZAKERS
Summary: "There's a lady who's sure ... all that glitters is gold ... and she's buying a stairway ... to heaven" -Orochi Kotetsu, prior to his escape and exile. SI/OC [Cover art taken from the Internet] [Please don't sue me]
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I:

Dazed and Confused

I'm dead.

I'm … dead.

It sure is weird thinking about it, though I think it's weirder that I can still _think_ in this apparently lifeless state of mine.

Great, now I'm contradicting my own thoughts.

But I'm dead.

…

If I'm dead then I sure as hell don't feel like a corpse soon to rot inside a coffin—or a pile of ash if my relatives decide that it's a good idea to cremate me and put me on an urn or wherever it is they wish to keep my burned remains.

… I shouldn't keep thinking about that. It sure is morbid.

Going back to topic, I'm pretty sure that my life's already ended.

I still remember how a whole freaking floor fell on top of my head, probably spilling it open like an egg but instead of yellow, the gooey stuff that came out was red. I remembered lingering around after that, though I find it quite disappointing that I couldn't see my body under all of the debris. From what I had gathered, an earthquake with a pretty high magnitude wrecked our whole city, claiming lots of lives and handicapping or injuring the ones left.

It was a natural phenomenon, something that the planet we humans called home does quite often.

No one's at fault.

As soon as I thought of that, I felt this … feeling. It's really … hard to describe but if I were to compare it, I would compare it back to the time when I was but a child going to bed while my dear mother sings one of those lullabies that I loved very much. The differences this time were that I'm quite sure I died as a young man in nineteen, not a child of three, and that I won't be sleeping, though I guess it's quite close to it.

The next time I came to, I find a warm body snuggled up next to me. It took a few moments before the questions came; shouldn't I be dead? Why am I snuggling?!

Then my mind got a bit clearer and I noticed a couple of things that I should have noticed earlier.

One, me and the so-far unnamed snuggle buddy of mine are lying on the side of a dirt road.

Two, I'm wearing some sort of japanese attire—a yukata? Yes, I guess it's a yukata.

Three, I think I'm back to being a pipsqueak of twelve, judging by my body size.

Four, this warm snuggle body of mine was actually of the _female_ kind, a year older than me I guess and seemed _very_ familiar.

Before I could think further about this strange situation I find myself in or even before I could scuttle away from the woman, she woke up, looking as unsure and as disoriented as I felt.

She's dressed like I am, hair dishevelled from lying on the road, and looking at me with curious blue eyes.

"W-Who are you?" she asked, obviously nervous.

"I could ask you that, too" was my reply.

"Umm … okay" She squirmed for a bit, looking unsure, before staring back at me in the eyes. "Kotetsu. Isane Kotetsu"

I blink. Why does that name sound so familiar?

"What's yours?"

"Orochi Kotetsu"

Ah. That's why.

My older sister only flashed her beautiful smile in reply.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Umm ... so greetings to the Bleach fandom! This is my first attempt at fanfiction in manga/anime and I would really love it if you lovely men and women could write a review or two on my fic!**

 **Thanks! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II:

I'll stick around

"Is this correct, onii-san?"

"… I'm not sure"

"How about you, Isane-nee?"

"Umm … I think it is, Kiyone-chan"

My eyes were narrowed and a hand was absentmindedly rubbing my chin, a mannerism of mine as people say, while my older sister's kind smile was hiding how unsure she really felt at the moment. See, our youngest sibling, our cute little Kiyone-chan started drawing a dog several minutes earlier, and she just finished. The problem is, we're not sure if the thing in the paper she's showing us is a dog or an abomination from the depths of a madman's mind. I'm sure it's just an honest mistake though, I'm the one with the nearly-crazy mind and not my younger sibling.

Right, siblings.

Three years after that faithful day where I died and met my onee-chan, an orange-haired twelve year old suddenly appeared beside us in bed, claiming to be our youngest sib. It was weird at first but we easily adapted as both of us are quite fond of little Kiyone-chan and her cute little smiles.

It seems this pseudo-afterlife found it a wonderful idea to give me siblings, one older, and the other one younger, both women. Now I don't hate my sisters, it's just that being associated to two fictional characters was quite a shock, back then and even now, though it's lessened by the time we're together somehow.

Fictional characters yes. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around that fact, but after seeing people in black clothing walking around our place, I guess I can't deny that I'm in a world conceived by a man named Tite Kubo, or whatever his name really was.

Yep, I'm in a manga.

In an anime.

In a world thought to be conceived by an imagination of a wonderfully creative mind.

It took a far greater time to adjust to this fact than I have with the fact that I have sisters, though five years of staying in this place certainly helped my mind. Or not. I'm thinking that I'm insane for a while now, though onee-san scolds me for thinking about that lightly and assures me I'm not while little Kiyone just stares at me blankly and says "You're not" whenever she hears me talking about my sanity—or what I think is left of it.

"I think its great Kiyone-chan" I said before she could ask something else. "Though it surely could still be improved upon"

I received two smiles for that, a happy smile from the orange-haired sib and a relieved one from the eldest, Isane's not very appreciative of conflict between us siblings, a fact I learned when she cried when she saw her two younger siblings arguing. Since then I've managed to tone down my inherent pessimism, my snarky attitude and my biting sarcasm, just so I can see my onee-san's smile more often than her tears.

… I would be very contented if I could see those smiles everyday but the fact that Isane-nee's going to Shino Academy ensures that I can't see her smile for a long time.

So I enrolled myself into the academy too, much to both of my sisters' surprise.

Apparently, the evaluators found me more than appropriate to be a shinigami since I possess an above average amount of reiatsu, a ways bit higher than my older sister's and of course several leagues higher than Kiyone's who lied squarely on average.

… Yeah, Kiyone's also enrolled herself. She supposedly found it unfair that both of us are gonna go to school and she's not. It's just an excuse however, the three of us still sleep side by side, and I heard my little sister's gentle sobs after the night I announced that I'm going to school.

"Oh right!" Onee-chan exclaimed, just remembering something. "We should be going to the academy"

Kiyone nodded, pocketing her drawing and following the eldest sister while I find myself lingering for a bit.

… I have a lot of thoughts on my mind. First were the well-being of my sisters, neither the anime nor the manga dealt with their deaths and I'm pretty sure that my siblings are out of harm's way canonically speaking, but my presence here might change things and that got me worried sick. I have already forgotten the finer points of my life when I was living and the only memories that I do my best to remember were the events of Bleach, as such, my former family was all but forgotten, replaced by this new family of mine that I will obviously die for.

There was another nagging thought on my head though …

Do I really want to change canon? The established timeline?

Now that I thought about it, I don't have a motivation to do so. Not like _some_ OCs, but that's another thing entirely.

"Orochi-nii?"

Kiyone was looking at me with curious eyes after she voiced her question, beside her, holding our youngest sister's hand, and bearing an equal expression on her face was our onee-chan.

I just smiled. No need to think about the future for now.

"Coming!"

xXx

Rukia held her training sword firmly and tried swinging it to the form the sensei instructed her and her class to do so. This current form of training was something that the petite soul found rather difficult, it didn't help that she's having a general difficulty with Zanjutsu. As she tried another swing, failing as her small and somewhat frail body followed along the momemntum, Rukia was convinced that she'd probably fail this class. She sighed, well she'll just have to perform better on the other classes, the senseis and her classmates did tell her that her talent for Kido was "phenomenal". Surely it wasn't even close to "phenomenal" as they say, she just studies a lot and found casting Kido easier than the other classes.

"Uhh … sorry I'm late?"

She looked at the door of the classroom and she saw a guy dressed in a uniform whose black hair was messy, though a long braid of his hair reached nearly to the guy's lower back. At first glance, Rukia mistook his eye color for a dull white, but as she looked on, his eyes were actually just a brighter shade of grey. Those eyes of his didn't look apologetic for his late arrival, but they do look bored or annoyed, Rukia noted.

The black-haired girl frowned, this class was not the place for that kind of attitude.

"What do you mean by "sorry I'm late", ya shirker?!"

Her class's sensei for zanjutsu was a man from the eleventh division, the division that prides strength and brutal prowess in combat. That division also has a reputation for being hot-headed battle nuts. She was not entirely sure if her sensei was a particularly short-tempered one or if the members of the eleventh division were short-tempered in general, but she was sure that the new guy was in trouble. Her sensei hates those he feels are slackers and shirkers with a burning passion.

And this new guy seems to be just like that.

"Well, I got lost, see? This place is rather huge, if you haven't noticed"

Some of her classmates gaped, others murmured, others mourned for the guy's short life while Rukia's palm connected with her face in annoyance. She wondered if the guy was stupid or brave for talking back to a teacher like that. Though as she observed how the guy was scratching his head sheepishly, she firmly believed that he was stupid.

"And a smartass, too!" the large, muscular sensei bellowed.

The guy just shrugged.

That only seemed to anger the man from the eleventh division further.

"Isao show this guy what happens to slackers!" the sensei bellowed.

By this point, most of the other students were guessing how many injuries the new guy will get by the end of class while some of them felt sorry for the new guy, Rukia was thinking both.

Isao was a tall, muscular kind of guy, one of those assholes who get entertainment from beating up other students. And even though the new guy was just as tall if not taller, as she just noticed, his body was as skinny as a twig. There's also the fact that the guy was the sensei's favourite, meaning that the asshole can get out of troubles rather quickly and that the sensei is giving him tips and special training, much to Rukia's annoyance. The guy was also a noble, although a minor one, and nobles easily get on the petite girl's nerves.

Isao stepped up to the newbie, eying him up and down while said newbie just gave him a look that says 'I really don't care'.

"Both of you get a training sword and fight!" the sensei, again, bellowed.

Isao complied eagerly while the new guy looked confused for a moment before doing as ordered.

"Okay, I'll do my best" the new guy said with a defeated sigh.

The whole class gave them a wide berth, forming a rough circle around the two, and Rukia made sure to be one of the students in front. Something about the new guy just makes her … curious. Like there's more to him than meets the eye. It sounded ridiculous in the petite girl's mind but that's what she felt. Maybe it's in the way the guy arrived, or the way he talks, or his disinterest on the sensei's outburst but there's definitely _something_ about him that piques Rukia's curiosity.

Her muscular classmate raised his arms, sword held up high in a stance made for a power strike aimed at the enemy's head. The new guy … the new guy was studying the practice sword in his hand with interest, alternating the practice sword from his left hand to his right hand and vice versa, generally ignoring the man waiting to give him a beating.

"Begiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!" the sensei bellowed.

And so the match started …

… and ended as quickly as it started.

Rukia looked on in shock as the muscular Isao fell on the floor, possibly unconscious.

The muscular guy started the practice match by dashing towards his designated opponent, screaming a battle cry on top of his lungs, with a perfect, simple stance meant to deliver maximum power, and therefore, pain. Rukia was quite sure that the newbie was in for a beatdown, and upon seeing him still absentmindedly studying his wooden sword, she was sure that it would be a particularly painful beatdown.

She, along with her classmates and their sensei, was shocked however, when their guesses of a very injured newbie was proved wrong. What they saw was a very injured Isao instead.

As the lumbering brute neared him, the newbie suddenly firmed his grip on his wooden sword, which was on his right hand, and retaliated. But he didn't use his wooden sword first. He ducked in close and fast towards Isao's torso. Isao naturally tried slamming down his weapon on his opponent, but before he could do so, he bent over in pain thanks to the new guy's knee hitting his … sensitive area … _quite_ painfully.

The newbie then followed up his low blow fluently with a powerful smack at the back of the head with his wooden sword's hilt.

Rukia was silent. Her classmates were too. Even their sensei was silent. Though Rukia would have laughed at his sensei's dropped jaw if the situation wasn't as shocking as it was.

"Y-Y-You cheated!" the sensei accused, his voice quivering in rage as was the finger pointed in accusation at the new guy.

"Huh?" the guy responded, his head tilted to the side in confusion. "But I said I'll do my best, right?"

"That was cheating! This is zanjutsu! This is a place where you learn the art of the sword! Not to cheat like a worthless piece of trash!" The sensei was livid, his words loud and he nearly was sputtering in rage while talking.

"Eh? I did my best. You can't say you're doing your best if you aren't cheating" the new guy said as he calmly returned his wooden sword—and Isao's—to the rack.

"Oh well, my name's Orochi Kotetsu" the guy, who's apparently named after a snake demon said, his name sure to be remembered by Rukia and her classmates and by the sensei—though for an entirely different reason—throughout his stay in the academy.

The school bell that signaled the change of classes was then heard by everyone in the room.

"I'll be sticking around" Orochi Kotetsu said, a crooked grin on his face as he went outside the room.

Rukia and her classmates followed shortly thereafter, the shock at what he did still eminent on their faces.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading this chapter! Now would you kindly drop in a review or two, dear reader? :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III:

Learning to fly

Zanjutsu was quite interesting.

Aside from the fact that I get to beat—and embarrass—an asshole on day one, annoy a possibly worthless teacher, and show off, I got to see one of the lovely main characters of Bleach! Rukia Kuchiki. Though I'm quite sure that she still goes by the name of Rukia these days as, if I'm correct, the badass who uses weaponized sakura petals in combat still is living a life with his lovely wife. Too bad it'll end tragically too soon.

"Umm … excuse me, Kotetsu-sama". An eyebrow of mine rose up in amusement upon hearing the honorific attached to my last name. I wonder how I got that.

Turning around, I see four of what I guess to be my classmates from now on looking at me with hopeful yet nervous expressions.

"Yes?" I inquired.

The four of them looked at each other then back up to me, more nervous than before.

"Umm … can you teach us?" They asked together.

"Teach you what?" I asked, obviously surprised. How the heck did they come up with the idea that I could teach them?

Then it dawned to me. I beat that Isao guy's rear end quite easily and quickly. That must be what made them think that I'm this super strong and skilled guy or something. I rubbed my eyes with my fingers, a habit of mine when I'm frustrated and I am getting frustrated. That Isao guy wasn't much. He was just one of those idiots that think that they can muscle their way through anything and everything. I just introduced his ... soft spots … to the hard stuff that is my knee and capped it off with a quick smack at the back of his head and down he goes!

The fingers rubbing my eyes stopped and were replaced by my palm meeting my face as I sighed in frustration. Of course they'd want me to teach them, _train_ them, because that Isao guy I beat up is probably the class bully!

… though I think I can't train them.

"Sorry but I can't" I replied, rubbing the back of my head sheepishly.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because he learned to fight like that from the streets"

Ah, that was what I was just gonna say.

I turn around and see the petite shinigami girl that every man and woman in the Bleach fandom loves, whether they admit it or not. She was standing there with that stoic expression, looking at me with piercing violet eyes.

"What district did you grow up on?" she asked as she neared.

"Kusajishi, North Rukongai" I replied. "It was the … 79th district, if I remember correctly?"

Kusajishi was a place … it's a place that most people wouldn't want to be in. It's basically a slum; dirty, poor, and unruly, the only place that's much worse than that place would be the 80th district, the district that the one-man massacre of the 11th division grew up on, and where he got his name from. I actually nearly met the future captain, I just chose to stay away from trouble and the pink-haired kid that he would meet and treat as his own daughter. Growing up in a place like that changes you, it forces you to change or else you'll end up dead, I did what I have to do to be strong enough to protect my sisters five years ago, that is why I fight like that, fight dirty, cheat, because if I didn't? I'd be dead, and my sisters too … or worse. I'm not naïve nor am I blind, I know that my sisters are beautiful, onee-san in particular, I know that there's a possibility of people … _doing_ them. They were the reason, I'd gladly beat up—or kill if … ah … if the situation "calls for it" anyone who tries to do something to my siblings.

"Tough place to live" she said, "Not much different to where I came from"

"I think this is a bit unfair, y'know?" I said, smirking. "You already know my name but I don't know yours"

That was a lie, of course, almost each character's name is imprinted in my head, but I've got appearances to keep.

"Rukia" she said after a short deliberation, "My name's Rukia"

"Nice to meet you then, Rukia-san" I reply, honestly happy at being able to meet the petite girl.

"Err … nice to meet you too, Kotetsu-san" she replied back, looking a bit weirded out. I can't really blame her, I was acting all confident and carefree back at the zanjutsu class after I kicked that guy's ass and now I'm getting way too friendly.

…

Meh, I blame it on my inner fanboy.

Speaking of fans …

I turn around again to talk to those who asked me train th—

Huh?

"Where'd they go?" I ask no one in particular after seeing no one in front of me and my newfound acquaintance, Rukia.

"They were nobles" the petite woman said simply.

Ah, that explains it then.

"So they don't want to be trained by a mere peasant, eh?" I shook my head in amusement as I chuckled.

Nobles …

They're quite a silly lot, really. Most of them, I mean. Byakuya's not that bad—not that bad for a prideful prick yeah, but that's beside the point.

Oh that reminds me!

"What do you need from me, Rukia-san?" I said, voice still polite but anyone listening should notice the certain _edge_ in my words. The black-haired woman even looks surprised!

"Huh?" she said, quite startled by the subtle, yet sudden change in my attitude.

I didn't come out of Kusajishi as a very protective brother, no that's just half of it. The good half of it, actually. Added with the other half, I'm actually a very protective brother bordering on paranoid with a serious case of trust issues and eyes that have seen the things that I would never allow my younger or my older sister to see. I'm also not sure if my insane or not, though I probably am.

No biggie, really.

This is why I asked Rukia that rude-ish question. My trust is so fucked up that I can't even trust a fictional character who, for all intents and purposes, I should really trust because she's a person that I had once analysed to be a person worth trusting. But now? After all the things that has happened to me for the past five years? Meh, a little bit of prodding wouldn't hurt anyone and that's the only thing I'd do. I've always been good at reading people, and based from her reaction, Rukia's still in-character and not some serial killer who loves to kill people with white and orange hair.

"Well …" Rukia seemed to be in a struggle to answer my question; looking away from me and nervously twiddling her fingers. It's actually quite adorable. I wouldn't say that to her though, I'd prefer it if Ichigo and Renji are the only ones well-acquainted to her vicious kicks.

"Heheh … I was just kidding, Rukia-san"

"Eh?"

… She looks pissed …

And then I discovered that the petite girl could really fly when she kicks, I also discovered the pain of a Rukia Kick for the first time in my un-life.

As I lay sprawled on the floor and the damn raven-haired girl yelled things such as "Ya fool" "Idiot" and "Bastard" at me like a tsundere would, I know that my life in Shino academy would be very, _very_ interesting, to say the least.

xXx

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bear the name of man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hado 31: Shakkaho!"

A beam of violent red energy erupted out of Rukia's outstretched palm and into the wall where their sensei for Kido class told them to aim at. They were instructed to stand in one line facing the special wall and practice Shakkaho for the rest of the class while the sensei went somewhere on some "important business". Their sensei on kido isn't actually as bad as their teacher in zanjutsu, she's just a bit of a slacker, or so as the local gossip went.

"Uhh … lord! Mask of blood, flesh and all creation, flutter of wings, you who bear the name of man! Hell and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hado 31: Shakkaho"

Rukia just put her palm on her face as a violent red energy exploded to her left.

"You didn't recite the incantation correctly, idiot" Rukia said as she sighed in frustration before looking up at the idiot standing beside her.

For all the skill he accumulated with the sword in the streets of Rukongai, Orochi Kotetsu was pretty much clueless in terms of Kido. Not that Rukia's gonna tell him that, the idiot will just prattle on about how "Rukia-chan praised me!", which she wouldn't stand for.

The raven-haired woman idly looked at how his hair was messier than usual, how some strands on his braid were loose, and how his face looked ridiculous with the scorch marks and the frown he wore. Then she noted how odd he is. He's quite carefree, often looking bored at most things in the academy, and probably his whole life … though Rukia's having doubts if it's just a façade. Because the guy grew up in one of the most unruly districts in Rukongai, she was sure that he has seen things that should never be seen, he might just be hiding his true personality behind the mask of boredom and disinterest so as to not get too much attention … or he's really just an idiot, and Rukia's overthinking things too much.

"What? But I said the words correctly?" he whined, rubbing his messier hair.

"Read it again, you said a few words wrong and what's with that 'Uhh' at the beginning?!"

She's also struck a somewhat odd friendship with him. Rukia seemed to get along with the guy, and Kotetsu felt the same way too, much to her surprise considering his trust issues. Oh as much as he tried to hide it, Rukia saw it. The way he asked the question he asked her earlier was full of suspicion even though he tried to coat it with politeness. Despite that, Kotetsu seems to be an inherently good guy, a friendly one even, if you manage to gain his trust.

"Oh my, are you alright, Kotetsu-san?"

Rukia looked past the scorched Kotetsu, and saw a young woman standing as tall as Kotetsu's shoulder, which was quite impressive as the black-haired idiot is quite the tall individual. The girl had the look of worry at her face, worry at Kotetsu apparently. What Rukia finds interesting is that the girl was quite pretty, a fact she's sure that this newly acquired friend of hers also noticed.

She smirked, she's going to enjoy teasing him later on.

xXx

Nobody told me Kido was gonna be this difficult.

Then again, it really wasn't anybody's fault but mine since I didn't memorize the incantation for Shakkaho properly. And surprise, surprise, it blew up on my face, messing my already messy hair in the process. Good thing my braid's not that damaged, Isane-nee tied that braid for me and I don't know how to braid it back.

"Oh my, are you alright, Kotetsu-san?"

I turned around to look at the one who addressed me, seeing as it isn't Rukia's low but mellow voice, so I guess it's one of the other st—Oh wow.

The first thing I noticed was her eyes. They were blue, a dark blue that seem to dazzle you if you stare at it for a while. Her hair that reached the small of her back was blonde, though you'd be forgiven if you thought it was white because of how light it is. She was looking at me with a worried expression and I can't help but blush a little at how cute she was with that expression, especially the way she tilts her head up and stare at me with those soulful eyes of hers.

"I'm alright, I guess …" I replied, a bit awkward at her show of concern.

"Umm … I didn't get your name" Oh how smooth, Orochi.

"Yumi!" she replied, cheerfully, her face practically _glowing_. "Yumi Nagasawa!"

"Err … Nice to meet you, Nagasawa-san" I replied, averting my gaze away from her. She's too damn pretty!

"Nice to meet you, too, Kotetsu-san!" she replied, still with that cheerful expression that gives me diabetes.

Just then, the bell rang.

"Oh, it's time for next class" Yumi said, then she smiled at me and at the black-haired midget beside me before she went out of the class.

Looks like I'm saved by the bell.

"Come on, Rukia-s"

She was smiling at me, a cheeky smile.

"Can't wait to follow, Nagasawa-san, huh?"

Ah, fuck me.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So what can you guys say 'bout Orochi's personality? Or his interaction with Rukia? Well to me I think I did this one a bit rushed so yeah this may not be as good as I think but ... Oh just review, guys :) And thanks to all of those who followed and favorite-d this story! It's quite appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**

 **Wow I got my first review!**

 **Cousland: Sorry if Orochi's acting like a douche, an ass, and a dickturd that you want to punch but that's just how he is. And we're still on Chapter IV, still a lot of room for improvement and character development. If the guy may seem like his disinterested and unconcerned about what will happen in the series, that's because he hasn't found a reason to care. Yet. Well, read on. I appreciate your criticisms, actually. Helps me improve.**

 **As for the others that have read the previous chapters, please review. I need it to improve :)**

* * *

Chapter IV:

Learning to fly pt. 2

"Today, you'll be performing jinzen, as usual" the sensei said at her class, and the class nodded in response, though I'm sure I saw some of them letting out sighs of frustration and some are smiling. Looks like the progress of the whole class was a bit varied, some are advancing quite well while some are lagging behind. Classic college.

"Except the new guy" Oh?

I looked at the sensei with mild interest. Yumi looked at me curiously while Rukia stared at me blankly. The whole class was also looking at me. Looks like I've somehow gained a reputation, and I'm quite sure that it has something to do with a certain little event on a certain zanjutsu class. Meh, whatever. I didn't mean to brag, anyway. That Isao irked me, and he was overdue in being thought a lesson, the fact that a new guy like me was the one who embarrassed him was probably the main and only reason for my new reputation.

"New guy, follow me"

And follow I did, though the eyes boring at my back were quite uncomfortable. The sensei led me to the back of the classroom and in front of a large metallic door, though it certainly wasn't as large as the walls covering seireitei, its size should still be noted. I watched as the sensei walked up to the door and, with her dainty feminine hand, pushed it as if it was a curtain instead of a door made of steel. The door, like all doors that looked as ominous as that, creaked as it opened, the distinctive smell of a place long sealed wafted past my nose.

"Stay here, new guy" Sensei said right before she entered the room past the door.

She told me to stay put, so I stay put. Though my mind nagged at me to go past the big metal door and find out what's inside the door. What could be so important, so as to hide it in a big metal door, I wonder? Scriptures on forbidden kido? Hmm, probable but I'm sure the Gotei 13 are the ones keeping those. Mod souls? Nah, they're forbidden … embarrassing pictures? Now I'm just entertaining myself, there's no way shinigamis like my sens—

Shinigami.

Ah. Of course.

Another loud creak and a slam alerted me to sensei's return, and in her hands was what I expected her to come out with. Clutched by the sheath in her hand was a katana. An asauchi, or what I like to call a 'basic zanpakuto'.

"Here" she said before nonchalantly tossing the sword at me.

Usually, my hand-eye coordination is good, but the sight of a real katana—an asauchi at that—was too awesome that it completely brought my hand-eye coordination to abysmal levels. I nearly didn't catch it because of how giddy I truly felt, actually.

Now there are two reasons why I'm as happy as a little girl given her first Barbie doll. The first reason would be my inner fanboy squealing at how cool this pointy thing is. Truly, as a fan of Bleach, being given an asauchi, being given the sword that would eventually become your very own zanpakuto warrants a celebration as extravagant as a wedding reception! The second reason would be my more practical mind speaking than my inner geek shrieking. Protecting my sisters all those years ago, the only weapon I had was a rusted knife, so I couldn't help but appreciate a finer, sharper, and—more importantly—longer blade.

"Congratulations at finally getting your Asauchi, Kotetsu-san!"

I was taken away from my thoughts by that diabetes-inducing voice that I still haven't got used to. Yumi, like usual, was beaming at me, her own asauchi in hand and with a smirking Rukia a step behind her. I barely noticed the sensei move away from us as I smiled back at her and at the petite woman at her back, though the smile I gave Rukia was a threatening one. I'm quite sure that my face has reddened just at the sight of Yumi smiling and Rukia would make sure I remember that for days on end if I didn't threaten her. Though as her smirk widened, I'm also quite sure that she won't let me off the hook just by threatening her. Hell, chances are, she wasn't even threatened.

"Thanks" I replied, "though there's no need for congratulations, I still haven't turned it into my own zanpakuto"

"Oh I'm sure it'll turn into your own zanpakuto in no time" she assured me.

"Like yours, Nagasawa-san?" Rukia said, joining in the conversation.

"Huh?" she asked Rukia. The smaller girl only pointed at her own asauchi, drawing both of our eyes to it. Her asauchi looked different, the hilt was a dull red and the guard ... well the guard looked like it was in the middle of changing into a different shape, curved messily and all, while the sheath was the only one similar to both mine and Rukia's katanas, black. Then I looked at my own asauchi, it looked plain as hell; black sheathe, rectangular guard, and black hilt. It's understandable of course, seeing as I just got this and Yumi has her asauchi in over a year now.

"It's still an asauchi, Rukia-chan!" Yumi tried to downplay her achievement, though it's obvious that she appreciates the praise evident by her flushed face and her flustered voice.

Actually, Yumi Nagasawa always tries to downplay her achievements, and her achievements are noteworthy. First and foremost, this blonde friend of mine is a genius, and I'm not exaggerating. It's still her second year in the academy, but she's nearly memorized all the advanced kido spells that the sensei taught and she doesn't need to recite the incantations for the basic and medium-level ones, her skill in Hoho was more than satisfactory as Rukia say, and she'd be easily the top one in Hakuda and Zanjutsu if the senseis on those classes aren't sexist pricks from the eleventh division. Then there's her asauchi, which basically means that she's gonna be graduating in a month or so. A shikai in the hands of a student isn't unheard of, but it is rare and something considered being great talent, so if a student has unlocked shikai, well goodbye academy and hello Gotei 13.

"Well, why don't we do Jinzen then?" I politely suggested, stopping Rukia from flustering the girl further by telling her all the achievements that I just listed off in my mind.

"Do you even know how to do Jinzen?" Rukia asked, one eyebrow raised.

"I've read about it and I've seen some students doing it on my way to zanjutsu" I repLIED. I haven't seen other students do that actually, but I can't just say that I saw it on t.v.

"Which basically means that you think you know it but you really don't, Orochi" Rukia said, smirking. I frowned though I noted with glee that Rukia and I are on first name basis now, the second stage of friendship, I suppose.

Then Rukia grinned mischievously, "Why don't you teach him the proper position, Nagasawa-san"

Curse you, Midget!

"Okay!" Yumi answered in her usual, cheerful way. Totally oblivious to what the black-haired midget was insinuating.

"First you've got to squat down, Kotetsu-san!" she said, touching my shoulders and guiding me to the floor slowly, a smile on her face as she did so. Her beautiful face made way to Rukia's grinning one as she stood, I just glared at the midget.

"Loosen up your shoulders" the blonde softly instructed as she massaged my shoulders, and—oh _god_ —it's so damn goooooooooood that I forgot that Rukia was looking at my pleased face.

"You then have to cross your legs, Kotet—"

I quickly crossed my legs in the proper position. There's no need to let Yumi "properly position" my legs, that's just too damn much!

"Oh okay then" She sounded baffled when she said that. Oh Yumi. For all your intellect, you're pretty much clueless and naive at the way people's brain works.

"Then you have to place your hands atop your knees" she said as she—Oh no. Nonono, there's no way this is happening right now. This is too goddamned great to be real I must be dreaming!

She was still standing from behind me when I last heard her talk, but she's definitely squatting or kneeling now. How do I know that? Well, these soft squishy mounds pressed against my back pretty much clued me in on her sitting position. And based from the shit-eating grin that was plastered on that goddamned midget's face, I'm _quite_ sure what those "soft squishy mounds" are. My mind was so distracted by the heavenly feeling of having my back pressed with those mounds that I barely noticed Yumi's dainty hands placing my hands on top of my knees.

"Is something wrong, Kotetsu-san?" the master of my heavenly torment asked. "Your face is red"

"I'm fine" I manage to say, thankfully without stuttering.

"Oh. Okay" She smiled as she stood from her torture-inducing position, too naive and innocent to be aware of the torture she accidentally put me in.

Deciding to focus at the task at hand, I unsheathed my asauchi and briefly looked at its blade, seeing only the light grey eyes and my pale skin. I then balanced the katana on my open palms, regulated my heart beat, closed my eyes, steadied my breathing and relax. Then everything fad—

"Time to go, Orochi"

Damn it.

Right as I was about to lose myself into meditation, Rukia's words returned me back to consciousness. And here I was, very excited to meet my zanpakuto spirit. Oh well, maybe I could do it later on.

xXx

Sui Feng was not happy.

She was in the middle of an assassination of a hollow when the Captain-commander called her to return to soul society immediately. And the old man stressed the word immediately with a pressure of reiatsu. The captain of the second division hesitated for a moment, just one more mark and her 'death in two steps technique' would be finished, and along with it, the life of the detestable hollow. Yet she knows about the Captain-commander and his legendarily fiery mood, so she did as was told and returned to the Gotei's headquarters as quickly as possible.

Most of the captains have arrived when she had returned to the headquarters. Most. That idiotic captain of the 8th division was late as usual. She took her position beside a grinning Gin Ichimaru and, again like usual, ignored the annoying fox-faced captain. She instead kept her focus on the captain of the 1st division, the old man just stared straight, his eyes closed as he leaned on the wooden cane that contained his powerful zanpakuto.

"Eheh ... sorry I'm late"

The captain-commander didn't even budge neither did he even bother to scold the captain that was always late, so Sui didn't even bother to acknowledge the slacker's presence too.

"Now that we have gathered ..." the old man started and all the captains tensed, subtly so, something that Sui came to understand was an indication of them listening to the captain-commander.

"We shall get to business" he continued, striking the floor strongly.

"Captains of the 13 Divisions" Everyone tensed, visibly this time, and why would they not? The leader of the Gotei 13 only ever does that when he's about to order something serious or heavy. The last time he addressed all of them by that title, captains and vice-captains were exiled and Sui Feng became a captain to fill the gap. This most assuredly is a serious mat—

"I order you to teach the young ones at the academy to the best of your ability for this day!"

Sui Feng's eye twitched.

That's why she was called? That's why all the captains were summoned? That's the _serious matter_?! That's the reason why she was stopped in the middle of an _assassination_?! If the captain-commander was a lesser man, he would be dead by now, and a gruesome death at that.

"That is all" And just like that the ridiculous and pointless meeting was adjourned.

The captain of the 2nd Division immediately shunpoed away after those words left the old man's mouth lest she do something that she would regret, or worse, something that she would enjoy. She didn't even mind her idiotic vice-captain's calls to wait, like she'd wait for him now. The faster she got to the academy, the faster she could finish teaching those students the captain-commander spoke of.

She just hopes that there wouldn't be a single idiot on that class. The soul king knows that she can't control herself if that happens.

xXx

Hoho class promises to be very, very _interesting._

For starters, our teacher for today is a captain of the Gotei 13.

And not just any captain, but the one who'll be personally teaching us today was the captain of the 2nd division and the Omnituskido. That's right, our teacher for today is Sui Feng, the captain with the saltiest of attitudes and quickest of feet. The master of shunpo second only to the Goddess of Flash herself, Yoruichi Shihoin. To think that she'll be my teacher today ... I shook my head. How unlucky.

I asked Rukia why she's the one instructing us for today and she told me that the captains are sometimes ordered by the captain-commander to teach in the academy for a day, saying that the students would learn under people with more experience in combat than the school instructors would help the students.

Now normally I'd be happy at seeing one of the other characters of Bleach, the captains more so, but she entered the room in complete captain's uniform, complete salty attitude, and complete anger. The problem I find in this situation is that she's angry ... and I still don't know how to properly do a flash step, not even an idea on how to execute it.

In other words, I'm quite screwed.

Oh well, I'm just gonna wing it.

xXx

Sui Feng looked at each student.

They were surprised at her presence at first, but after she gave all of them a particularly withering glare to show them how she really feels about this situation, they quickly shut up, not wanting to risk her wrath, obviously.

Their reiatsu told her that they weren't anywhere near even his idiotic vice-captain's level, though there was the pretty one with blonde hair that could reach her thirteenth seat in terms of reiatsu. While understandable considering they were still students of the shinigami academy, Sui can't help but think how pathetic they are compared to her. She hoped that they will improve in the coming years of their stay in the academy's halls, she didn't want another year without even an increase in numbers on the 2nd division and the Omnitsukido after all.

She was at least glad that there wasn't an idiot in the class.

"Listen" she said, and every one of the student's tensed. Sui noted with a slight fascination how similar their reaction was to the captains every time the captain-commander of Gotei 13 demanded attention.

"I believe that all of you know who I am and what division I am commanding" she said evenly, careful to not slip to the threatening tone that she uses against her enemies. "Today's activity would be ... quite simple"

Sui noted with satisfaction how each of the student's reiatsus heightened, their reiatsu told her how tensed and nervous they all are.

All, except one.

The captain of the 2nd division and Omnitsukido looked at the class again, slightly miffed and quite amused that one of this class's students wasn't nervous. Then her eyes fell on him. He was easy to pick apart from the class. Aside from his height, his lack of weight easily catches attention, his eyes held disinterest just like the captain of the 8th division, and what's with that almost unnoticeable sly smirk on his face? It irked her.

"All of you would shunpo away from me while I ... hunt you down"

Each and every one of the students in the room vanished, shunpoed away on varied quickness. Some vanished quickly for their level, some are a bit slow, and some had difficulties doing the flash step, but her very encouraging glare amended that. Then there's him. The guy that somehow wasn't nervous.

"Haven't you heard what I told just recently? Why are you still here?"

"You see taisho-sama, I still wasn't taught the flash step"

She shouldn't have asked if she had known that was his answer. Her annoyance rose because of it.

"Then get out" she said through clenched teeth.

"Huh? But I want to learn how to do it"

That's it.

Sui flashed step, hand immediately on her wakizashi even before she vanished from sight and reappeared in front of him to threaten the idiot with tip of her zanpa—

Sui Feng heard the characteristic sound of metal clashing with metal, and to say that she was shocked was an understatement, possibly the understatement for Sui Feng's year.

There she was, standing in front of the taller guy, with her zanpakuto near the idiot's neck, but instead of the blade of her Suzumebachi's sealed state pressed gently into the man's skin, her blade has met another blade.

A longer blade.

The _idiot's_ blade.

She couldn't believe it. Sure it wasn't her fastest speed but it was a speed definitely faster than all of the other captains', and to think that this student, this _idiot_ managed to parry her was shocking. Nobody has done that before, nobody other than her teacher, the exile which she dare not name lest it anger her.

As for the idiot, he was also surprised, but not equally so. His eyes are alight with interest this time, and the sly smirk on his face was very noticeable now. She hated how similar it was to that bastard Urahara's and that hate snapped her out of her surprise and motivated her to try to threaten him, this time from the back.

And her wakizashi struck nothing, not even soft flesh.

"Awesome! I didn't know that it's so easy!"

 _How did he ... ?_ , was what Sui Feng thought as she saw the man a few meters away from her with a surprised yet gleeful face. Her instinct as a member of the Omnitsukido told her to press him against the wall and threaten him for lying to her, but that gleeful expression on her face squashed that thought. She knew how to read people well enough to know that he wasn't faking that expression, that he basically learned how to flash step just a few moments ago. That in itself was surprising, what surprised Sui was that when she thought about it, the speed of his flash step was near to hers! Nobody should be able to flash step that fast at first try! By the soul king, nobody should be able to flash step that fast without training for ten years at least!

This guy ... this guy is talented, loathe as she is to admit it.

The other students had also returned to the class, and a short one with black hair and a taller one with light blonde hair was as surprised as her but she barely noticed them, her attention on the guy.

"Tell me" she started, gaining the guy's and the other student's attention. "What's your name?"

"Huh?" he asked back, probably a bit distracted by his newly learned skill.

"I asked you what your name is, idiot" Sui repeated, gritting her teeth.

"Orochi Kotetsu, Sui-chan!"

This time, "Sui-chan" caught him. He was pushed against the wall, his eyes alternating between the blade pressed to his throat and the face of the captain of the 2nd division. The blade because it was sharp, obviously, and the face of Sui Feng because her mouth was split into a grin that practically screams ' _ **MUTILATION**_ '.

"Do not. call. me. Sui. Chan." She said slowly, to make the idiot understand, and to calm herself down. Calling her by that honorific irked her, annoyed her, angered her and rose a whole set of emotions that she shouldn't have.

"Okay, Sui-ch—" Suzumebachi was pressed closer to his throat.

"O-Okay, Sui-sama"

"Good" she said, flash stepping away and making the guy slide down the wall he was previously pressed on.

"Now Orochi Kotetsu" She returned her wakizashi to its sheathe. "If you manage to graduate to this academy, there's a slim chance—a _slim_ chance—that the 2nd division may have a vacant seat for you"

Sui Feng immediately flash stepped away after that, not noticing the many surprised stares headed at the dumbfounded Orochi's way. She also didn't notice how that dumbfounded look gradually turned into a very happy smile. She also deems it a good thing that she flash stepped away. If she hadn't, that class and that idiot would notice the small smile tugging on the captain's lips.

She never thought that there would be someone like him in the academy.

Someone so annoying yet interesting at the same time.

* * *

 **A/N (Again)**

 **Sorry if Orochi may seem a bit too OP, but don't worry that's just on some parts! CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WILL HIT LIKE A TRUCK SOON! XD**

 **Well that's chapter IV. Drop in a review! THANKS!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**

 **Shen the Lost Namikaze: Thanks for the review! Glad you liked what another reviewer called a douchebag!**

 **Cousland: Here's what I told you about :D**

 **To everyone else, here's a new chapter! Though it's more or less a filler :)**

* * *

Chapter V:

My legs hurt.

My legs hurt _really_ bad.

"You shouldn't have overdone it, Kotetsu-kun" Yumi said, a soft glow emanating from her hands soothing my foreleg.

"She's right, stupid." Rukia agreed, also applying kido to my other foreleg but at a slightly less soothing way, which was understandable, considering that the other healing me was a genius and Rukia's just on the 'extremely knowledgeable' level. Still, to think that these two worried about me at this level was quite humbling. It's not even a day yet and these two are already familiar to me and vice versa.

Right, how did I get myself into this state? Well, as Yumi said, I've overdone it, and I really did. What she meant was Hoho. Despite my somewhat nonchalant reaction to doing that obviously highly-advanced flash step that the dear captain of the 2nd division demonstrated in her … altercation … with me, my legs had actually hurt though I didn't notice it at first due to the adrenaline and my own elation that I actually did a highly-advanced version of flash step at first try.

Truth be told, I'm still elated up to this moment. How could I not be? The captain of 2nd division of the Gotei 13 and Omnitsukido actually invited me—let's repeat that one more time, Sui Feng _invited_ me _personally_ to her division. Sure she might be a bit tsundere about it but I've seen enough animes to discern what she had really meant. As for that Sui-chan … I admit, it was idiotic of me to say that but, c'mon, I was too happy at that particular moment that I didn't notice that I went overboard.

I'm still quite happy now, but the goddamned pain in my legs is taking too long to go away that it's getting me worried.

"So can I still walk?" I asked in a joking manner.

The glare that Yumi gave me effectively shut me up.

"You shouldn't be making light of this situation, Orochi" Rukia said, also sending a glare my way.

"Yeah, I shouldn't" I replied, somberly. Yumi frowned at me, making me feel guilty for pulling of that stupid trick back at Hoho. What, you think that I could pull a high level shunpo without even resorting to cheating? Let me explain, the way shunpo works is that you coat your whole body with reiatsu and then you have to will yourself to teleport away while at the same time thinking that it's just as normal as walking or running for it to work easier. That's how Shunpo works. The way I did it, I added a bit more reiatsu to my legs before I blinked away, making my speed faster but the same time putting great stress to my legs, a fact that I noticed too late.

"OROCHI!"

Oh no.

The three of us looked to where the worried voice came from, the two of them in surprise and curiosity, and every part of what makes me Orochi Kotetsu in surprise and distress. There was a tall woman rushing towards us, grey hair that reached just below her shoulders swing from side to side as she ran, her body was obviously less scrawnier than mine and more shapely, and her lovely face was the very image of worry.

It was my sister.

Rukia and Yumi parted as the grey-haired girl kneeled before me.

"What happened?!" she said as her hands checked my forehead and neck for fever, opened my eyes, and even checked the pulse on my wrist.

"Don't worry, I'm fine" I said, trying to calm down my worrywart of a sister.

"You're obviously not!" Needless to say, she was not convinced.

Then nee-chan noticed how my legs were shown out instead of tucked underneath my uniform. She frowned upon noticing that, and then she forcefully tapped my leg.

"OW" I yelp and my older sister gave me that look that parents give to their kids when they go home with a bruise or a wound. Like a kid, I just smiled sheepishly.

"What did you do this time, Orochi Kotetsu?" she asked sternly, a pout on her face and her arms crossed.

"Umm … I may have actually gone a bit too overboard on Hoho class" was my sheepish answer. I'd rather face a miraculously skilled Isao, a notorious gang from Kusajishi, or even goddamned Kenpachi Zaraki than my angry/worried sister.

She narrowed her eyes. "You mean you showed-off"

"Eheh … yeah?"

My older sister let out a long-suffering sigh, right before she uncrossed her arms and let her hands hover over my pained legs. Then her hands glowed with kido. To my knowledge of Bleach, my nee-chan will eventually become the scarily awesome Retsu Unohana's vice-captain in the 4th division. Which means her ability in the healing kido is going to be impressive. But as she healed my legs, I could say that my sister's healing abilities are already impressive to begin with.

"There. Done" she said, letting out another sigh as she wiped her suddenly sweaty forehead. Hmm. My sister may be good at the healing kidos now but her reiatsu's still not up to par.

"Thanks, Isane—"

She then enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug that may have given me fresh injuries, particularly on the chest area.

"Don't do things like that again, okay?" she asked, still worried over my well-being. Well, she's my older sister, she'll _never_ stop worrying over my well-being and little Kiyone's.

"Can't promise that" Her hug only tightened. "Okay, okay, I promise!"

She hugged me tighter again, but before I could complain about the lack of air on my person, she let go.

"You're such a worrywart, y'know" I joked.

"I also know advance Hados"

"I was just kidding"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

…

It took a few moments before my shell-shocked mind fully processed what the question but when it did my head snapped towards Rukia and Yumi so fast that I'm sure my older sister would've been worried about the state of my neck if she wasn't as shocked as I am. Innocent Yumi's face was as red as a tomato while Rukia, the one who asked, was sporting a truly curious expression.

"What made you think that?!" I exclaimed, nearly screaming.

"W-well y-you were h-h-hugging and … and sh-she was w-w-w-worried—"

Looks like I underestimated how innocent Yumi really is …

"What Yumi means to say is that you were too intimate with her" Rukia said, and Yumi continued being red-faced in the face of me and my sister, who was equally flabbergasted with the question.

"Nagasawa-san"

"Y-Y-Yes, Kotetsu-san?"

"She's my sister"

" … o-oh …"

Rukia just nodded oh so slowly, the very image of unbelieving, while the taller blonde standing beside her looked totally embarrassed about what she had mistakenly thought to be my relationship with my older sister.

"Are you sure about that?" Rukia asked, somewhat incredulous. "You two look nothing alike"

Isane and I shared a glance, then we chuckled at the same time.

"You should see our younger sister" I replied.

Rukia is correct, sadly. My sisters and I look nothing alike, and they don't have that many similarities either. For starters, the three of us have completely different hair colors; nee-chan's is metallic grey, mine is jet black, and little Kiyone's is as orange as the substitute shinigami with the berry punny name. Then there's the height, Isane is a tall woman who would still grow taller, I'm nearly as tall as her but that's to be expected as I'm a guy, then there's Kiyone who hasn't grown even an inch since the day we met her. We had considered her tall for her height on the day she came to our lives but that day was long ago now, and Kiyone didn't even gain even an inch.

Faces? Only our eyes look alike, and even then we vary. Isane's was dull grey, easily mistaken as black, while mine was so bright they're usually thought to be white, Kiyone's stand in the middle of the two extremes of the color grey. Siblings really differ in personality, but combine that with our lack of familiar traits, and then people do a double take when we say we're siblings. Especially because my older sister is quite pretty, my younger sister is cute, and I … I look like a lazy guy going with the 'As dastardly as Aizen' look when I don't look like a slacker.

Then I remembered that I haven't introduced them to each other yet.

"Oh sorry I forgot" I said suddenly, starting to scratch my head sheepishly. "This is Isane Kotetsu"

The grey-haired girl smiled kindly and took a slight bow.

"She's my onee-san" The two girls smiled back at her.

"And this is Yumi Nagasawa, Isane-nee" I said, gesturing to the blonde who flashed her signature diabetes-inducing smile to my older sister. To my sister's credit, she wasn't even affected by the blonde's attack! I guess that comes with being a woman.

"And this midget right here is called Rukia" I said, a smirk on my face and a thumb pointing at the black-haired girl as I introduced her without an inkling of the politeness and respect I had when I introduced our other friend.

"Pleased to meet you" Rukia said, extending a hand to Isane while a tick mark appeared on her forehead. Oh I'm sure that if my older sister wasn't here, I'd be having a mean Rukia Kick planted squarely on my face, sandals and all.

Onee-chan didn't shake Rukia's hand.

I tilted my head sideways at this, curious why my every amicable, friendly, and polite older sister wasn't shaking the hand of my first friend in school … Okay saying 'first friend in school' sounded too goddamned gay for my tastes, not that I have problems with gays and all, it's just weird for me.

Then my sister did something I never thought she'd do to another person except Kiyone.

She let out a very feminine squeal right before engulfing the smaller, shorter, and thinner Rukia in a hug as bone-crushing as the one she gave me earlier, and several times before in our life together as siblings. As for the recipient of the hug, her face was contorted in a grimace though the blush showed that she appreciated the gesture even if it took her completely by surprise. Yumi, who was as surprised as Rukia, recovered first and the first things she did was to giggle at the scene before her.

Rukia just went more flustered and sent a vicious glare at Yumi first, who was unaffected as she laughed with her eyes closed, then at me. I was affected by the glare, but for a different reason. It just made me smirk in amusement, for I now commit this, the first encounter the short Rukia with my very tall sister who has a love for things considers cute—small, raven-haired girls included.


End file.
